Concrete building structure



LSFESMBU April 21, 1925.

w. E NELSON CONCRETE BUILDING STRUCTURE Original Filed May 12, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M'ZZ/"am E. [Ve [so/v.

' W. E. NELSON CONCRETE BUILDING STRUCTURE Original Filed May 12, 1919 2 Sh e s-Sheet 2 anmmtoz Patented Apr; 321, i925,

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PAT P HQEQ.

"WILLIAM E. NELSON, 01 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

CONCRETE BUILDING STRUCTURE.

Continuation of application Serial No. 296,595,

343,507, filed December 9,

San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and- 5 State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete Building Structures; and I- do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to niake and use the same.

This invention relates generally to com orete building structures, and particularly to wall constructions in which a plurality of pre-cast units are used and held-together by an integral or monolithic binding frame work.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a wall construction which employs a plurality of'pre-cast units and an integral binding framework, and in which the framework is erected without the use of forms. The wall may therefore be quickly, easily and cheaply constructed without the use of skilled labor and without first having to erect a temporary structure for v temporarily holding the units-in place.-

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a wall construction consisting of a plu- 110 ra-lity of pre-cast units and an integral bind ing framework including intersecting parallel pillars and parallel beams of such dimensions or proportions to the dimensions of the units that they will be suflicient to support the principal weight of the wall and to take the principal strain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character which is scientifically reinforced so as to insure its stability under the conditions for which it is designed. The system of reinforcing is such as to give perfect protection to all of the reinforcing elements which are of a corrodable nature.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wall construction'which is not susceptible to shrinkage or temperature cracks.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved corner construction for a wall of this character.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be strong and durable in construction, eflicient and reliable in operation, and well filed May 12, 19 19. Substitute for application Serial No. 1919. This application filed November 1, 1920. Serial N0.;d21,139.

adapted to the purpose for which it is deemned.

ith the above and other objects in view, I I

this invention consists of the novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

This application is a continuation of application berial N 0. 296,595 filed May 12, 1919, and a substitution for application Serial N 0. 343,507, filed December 9, 1919.

The descriptive matter of the specification s supplemented by the accompanying draw- Lugs, in which similar reference characters are used to designate like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a straight wall constructed in accordance with this invention.

{Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the straight wall.

Figure 3 is a horizontal transverse sec tional view of the straight wall.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal secso Figure 5 is ahorizontal-sectional view of a corner constructlon'employing the print'ional view of the straight wall,

ciples of the invention.

Figure 6 is a top plan or top edge view of a type of pre-cast building block particularly designed for constructing curved or circular walls.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a curved wall constructed in accordance with this iuvention.

In the improved wall construction, a plura-lity of pre-cast units are employed. These units, designated by the numerals 1, are solid, are preferably of square sh ape, and are provided at all four of their edges with comparatively deep semi-circular grooves 2.

The units 1 are preferably about one-half as thick as they are long and high, and the grooves 2 are slightly less in width than the width of the units.

lhc units 1 shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings are proportioned or constructed for use in erecting straight walls or other structures, and their four edges are disposed at right angles to their inner and outer surfaces, so that their inner and outer surfaces are'of the same dimensions.

The units 1 disclosed in Figs. 6 and T of the drawings are proportioned and shaped so as to adapt them for use in constructing curved walls or similar structures. These units 1' are provided at their four edges with comparatively deep semicircular grooves 2 and they are similar to the units 1 except that their vertical or side edges are cut off angularly with respect to their inner and outer surfaces so that their inner faces are of less Width than their outer faces.

In constructing a straight wall or similar structure, a plurality of the pre-cast units 1 are arranged one upon the other and side by side in straight vertical columns and horizontal courses. When arranged edge to edge in this manner, the grooves 2 form a net-work of intersecting vertical and horizontal laterally closed circular passages. After the wall has been built to a substantial height by means of the units 1, fluid cement is poured into the vertical passages in order to fill these passages and to fill the horizontal passages which intersect with them. This method is continued as the height of the wall is raised. The units 1, contacting at their edges as they do, of themselves form the molds for the poured structure.

The poured structure formed in this manner is an integral or monolithic skeleton framework consisting of intersecting vertical pillars 3 and horizontal beams 4 of circular shape in cross section and of uniform cross section throughout. This framework serves to support and anchor. the units 1,

1 las uponthe pillars 3 and beams 4, the individual units 1 are hung suchas are hung the facing blocks on the framework of a modern structural sustain the weight of the'courses above them,

but the weight of each unit isearried by the sisting qualities.

In some cases, it' is preferable to reinforce the pillars 3 and beams 4, and the reinforcing elements may be placed in position either before the fluid cement is poured into the passages or else after this has beemdone. but before this cement sets or hardens; In the horizontal beams 4 of the framework. the reinforcing elements are in the form of rigid rods 5. preferably of steel, and these are disposed so that when the beams at have become set or hardened, they will extend longitudinally with respect thereto, and they will be located adjacent the lower sides of the beams 4 immediately below the central axes thereof.

The reinforcing elements for the vertical pillars 3 of the frame-work, are in the form of pairs of bars 6. These rods (3 extend longitudinally through the pillars 3, and are disposed on opposite sides of the central or neutral axes of said pillars 3 and adjacent the inner and outer sides thereof.

steel buildin The-units donot.

The rods 6 thus pass on opposite sides of the rods 5.

This system of reinforcing the framework is important for it insures a maximum' .amount ot protection at the points where it is needed the most. The concrete of the pillars S is relied upon to resist compression, while the rods (3 are relied upon to resist tensile strains. The rods 6 being located adjacent the inner and outer sides of the pillars 3 takes care of the known fact that when pressure is applied to a wall, the side of the wall opposite the pressure will be put under tension while the side upon which the pressure is exerted will be put under compression.

'The erection of a curved wall out of a plurality of the pre-cast units 1' is effected in precisely the same manner as the straight wall is made. By reason of the fact that the vertical or side edges of the units 1 are cut off angularly with respect to the inner and outer faces of the units so that their inner faces are of less width than their outer faces, when the units 1 are arranged edge to edge, the structure formed will be curved. Substantially the same system of reinforcing a curved wall may be employed as in the case with a straight wall.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, a corner construction is shown. In this case, two straight walls erected from a plurality of the units 1 are arranged at right angles to each other to form a corner recess. This corner recess has its inner side bounded by the grooves 2 ofthe co-rner units 1, and has its outer side bounded and closed by mold boards 7 'lhiscorner rccessis filled with fluid cement or concrete at the time the vertical passages in the two walls are filled. The corner recess forms a corner.column 8 which is integrally connected-with the vertical pillars 3 by means of'the horizontal beams +l. The horizontal reinforcing rods 5 p which are imbedded in the horizontal beams 4: of-the integral fran'iework havcthcir ends projecting into the corner column 8 and they are arranged in overlapping relation;

The pro-cast units are made of a lean cementitious or concrete mixture, while the monolithic framework is made of a rich cementitious or concrete mixture. The reinforcing stcel embedded in the members of the monolithic framework is, therefore, protected a ainst moisture deterioration or corrosion my ,the rich cementitious composition out of which the latter is made. The rich mixture of the framework of the structure is susceptible to temperature cracks, but is protected by'the leaner mixture of the precast units which will not be temperature cracked. The pre-cast units constituting an encasing wall around the monolithic frame work, act as a temperature insulator for the framework and prevents temperature crackloo llll

ing thereof and as a further protection for the metal reinforcements against moisture. By having the monolithic framework protected from the elements by the encasing wall of pre-cast units, the metal reinforcementsof the framework may be placed near the surface of the framework to insure a maximum resistance against lateral stress without rendering them liable to moisture deterioration or corrosion.

' From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and advantages of the invention have been pointed out so that further explanation is unnecesary. It will be seen that the Wall may be constructed very cheap- 1 y without the use of skilled labor and without the necessity-of going to the expense and trouble of erecting a temporary framework.

It is to be particularly pointed out that noforms are used in the erection of a wall. It will also be noted that the size of the pillars 3 and beams 4 constituting the integral or monolithic framework is such, for instance,

comprising from thirty to fifty per cent of the.

wall, that the framework will support the principal weight of the wall and sustain the principal strains.

It is to be understood that various changes in form, proportion, and in the minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and principle of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. A wall or analogous structure comprising a plurality of substantially square entirely solid concrete units of a thickness of approximately one-half of their otherdimensions and having in all of their ed es relatively deep grooves of slightly less wi th than the thickness of said units, said units being arranged edge to edge in .parallel courses and parallel columns with the side edges of the superimposed units in alinement and with the inner and outer portions of their edges in full and tight contact, the arrangement of said units bein such that said grooves form a network of closely arranged laterally closed intersecting horizontal and upwardly extending passages, all of which are of relatively large and the same cross sectional area, the distance between-the,

nearest walls of the adjacent parallel passages being not more than three times the diameter of said passages, and a monolithic ing the same cross sectional area, oneof said units being disposed between and hung upon each set of adjacent pillars and beams in said framework.

2. A monolithic concrete wall comprising a skeleton frameworkvformed of a rich concrete mixture and metal reinforcements in said frame-work, and an encasing wall for said frame-work formed of a lean concrete mixture surrounding all parts of the framework and filling all openings between the several members of the latter, said encasing wall being formed of separate units held together solely by said framework and permitting unhampered expansion and contraction.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination of two sets of precast units arranged at an angle to each other to provide a corner recess, ing'a plurality of the pre-cast units arranged in upright and longitudinal rows, said units being provided upon their contacting edges with longitudinally extending grooves, which in the structure form a net-work of intersecting straight vertical and horizontal mold passages, an integral framework of plastic material molded in said passages and embodying upright and longitudinal members, a corner column of plastic material molded in said corner recess and having portions extending into the grooves in the upstanding edges of the end units, reinforcing bars imbedded in said upright members, and reinforcing bars imbedded in said longitudinal members and having their free ends projecting into and imbedded in said corner column.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM E. NELSON.

each set compris- 

